The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have pulled back after RCB’s openers’ onslaught in the IPL 2025 game played on May 03 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru are in the third position of the IPL 2025 points table with 14 points and a win against CSK could make them the first team to qualify for the playoffs in the ongoing season.

After being put to bat first, Bethell and Virat Kohli opened the attack while Khaleel Ahmed opened the bowling attack.

The duo made a fiery start, scoring 71 runs in the powerplay. Both went on to smash fifties, making a 97-run partnership for the first wicket.

Matheesha Pathirana brought the breakthrough dismissing Jacob Bethell for 55 runs which included 8 fours and 2 sixes. Padikkal walked in to bat along with Kohli where the latter went on to make his fifty.

He scored 62 runs before being dismissed by Sam Curran in the 12th over. With losing the openers, RCB’s run rate begun to drop with losing their third wicket for 144 runs.

Pathirana went on to pick the wicket of Devdut padikkal for 17 runs in the 16th over. As RCB began to struggle, Noor Ahmad gave another breakthrough picking the wicket of Jitesh Sharma for 7 runs where the home side lost four wickets for 154 runs.

Speaking at the toss, CSK captain MS Dhoni said, “We are looking to bowl first. We want to make the most of the last few games we have got. Try to look into next year and which indivdual will fit into what role.”

“Yes we want to win games but getting the most of the four games is important. It seems tacky, must have been under covers for quite some time and other than that it is a venue where scoring runs is easy.”

“It is a high-scoring venue and after the initial start it will be quite good to bat on. It is important to express but the batters need to play to their strengths, if you are bowler don’t think what if the execution is not right, make a plan and bowl with full confidence. Let it be plans be Ravi Bhai. Same team,” concluded MS Dhoni.

Meanwhile, RCB captain Rajat Patidar said, “We would have fielded as well. But the wicket will not change that much. We will try to put a good total on the board and keep them under pressure.”

“Everyone is in a good frame of mind and doing their roles, as a captain I am very confident in my boys. Till now many players have performed for the team and that is a good sign.”

“We have 4 games and we will try our best in all the games. Every game is important from now, we are not looking at qualification and we will try our best in all four games. One change – Ngidi comes in for Josh,” concluded Patidar.

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